Game scoring device



May l, 1951 wfA. CURTIS GAME SCORING DEVICE Filed Nov. 15

IIIW/ENTR. wn. FRED A. CUR r/s ATTORNEYS Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES, garant ortica Application November 15,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to game 'score registering devices, and more particularly to a scoreboard for registering the scores in cribbage and similar games.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved gaine score registering device of simplied construction which can be economically manufactured from a readily moldable material, such as synthetic resin plastic, and provides two movable markers for each of two players for registering the score in the game being played, and a movable marker for each player for registering the games won in a particular series, which provides means for rmly holding the markers in place against accidental displacement while having them easily movable' manually from plaoe-to-place on the board, and which is of compact size and light weight, neat and attractive in appearance, and easy to use. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claim in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a game score registering device illustrative of the invention;l Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a transverse cross section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side View of a fiat spring consti- 5;

tuting an operative component of the device;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of theA spring illustrated in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an end View of the spring illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of another nat spring constituting an operative component of the device; and

Figure 3 is an end view of the spring illustrated in Figure '7.

With continued reference to the drawing, the game score registering device of the invention comprises an elongated rectangular structure I0 of thin walled construction having a flat top wall Il and a flange I2 marginally surroundingthe wall II. The flange I2 has a molding shape to enhance the ornamental appearance of the device, and has its edge opposite the top wall II in a plane substantially parallel to the top Wall. The entire structure i9 is preferably formed as a single molding or casting of readily moldable material, such as a suitable synthetic resin plastic and is simple and rigid in construction and of extremely light weight. Substantially at the mid-length location of the structure a rib I3 1949,l Serial No. 127,372

extends transversely of the structure between the side portions of the nange l2 and at a location spaced below the top wall II, The bottom side of the structure is preferably left open although it may be closed by a bottom wall, if desired.

The top wall has therein two pair of longitudinally extending slots I4, I5, IB and I'I which eX- tend for substantially the length of the top wall II', and are arranged in spaced apart, substantially parallel relationship to each other. The slots I4 and I5 constitute one p-air, and the space on the upper surface of the top wall between these slots is longitudinally divided at equally spacedintervals by game score indicating marks I3.. The series of marks I8 extend substantially the full length of the slots I4 and I5 and, if the registering device is to be used for registering the score in Cribbage games, there will be marks in the series with an additional mark at one end of the series to indicate the total game score of 121 points. These marks are numbered in groups of five, and the numbers are duplicated so one series of numbers is disposed adjacent each of the grooves I4 and I5 to facilitate reading the indicating marks.

An entirely similar series Is of indicating marks is disposed between the grooves I6 and I'I constituting the other pair of grooves.

Slides 26, 2I, 22 and 23 are mounted respec-J tively in the grooves I4, I5, I6 and I'I' for movement longitudinally of the corresponding grooves and, as these slides are all identical in construction and operation, a detailed description of only one is considered sufficient for the purposes of the present disclosure, the slide 20 having been selected for this purpose and illustrated in cross section in Figure 3.

The slide 20 comprises a knob 24 which rests upon the upper surface of the top Wall I I of the structure I0 land has, at one side, a pointer formation 25 which cooperates with the adjacent side of the series of game score indicating marks I8 to indicate a game score by positioning the pointerformation 25 on or adjacent to any sclected one of these marks. A stem 26 extends from the knob 24 through the slot I4 and this` of the slots.

v A flat spring 29 of rectangular shape has a slot The head 21 is of same diameter as the stem 26 and the stem 26 is insertible through one 3 r recess therein including a portion disposed substantially symmetrically of the center of the spring and shaped and dimensioned to closely t the stem 26 of the slide, and a narrower portion 3| which extends from the portion 3l] to one edge of the spring and has a width sufficient for the passage therethrough of the neck 28 of the stern. rIhis spring is assembled with the slide 2i) in an obvious manner by forcing the neck 28 of the stem through the narrow portion 3| of the recess in the spring until the stem is entirely received in the portion 39 of the recess. The spring is longitudinally bowed, as is clearely iliustrated in Figure 6, and is mounted on the stem 25 with its concave side adjacent the under surface of the top wall of the body l0. At one side of the recess therein, the spring is provided with two rounded protuberances 32 and 33 which extend upwardly from the concave side of the spring and contact the under surface of the top wall at one side of the slot |4. The protuberances 32 and 33 act to hold the leaf spring 29 in a position for smoother sliding movement on the adjacent face of the top wall At its opposite side the spring is provided with a partly severed wing 34 having at one end a ,rounded` detent 35 extending transversely of the wi'ng'aty the free end thereof, and the top wall is provided on its under surface and along one sideg'of the groove I4 with a series ofsrnallfserrations 36.

With this arrangement, the spring 29 bears on the under surface of the top wall and on the head 21 of the slide stem 26 to impose frictional resistance to movement of the slide 2G longitudinally of the slot |4. The engagement of the detent 35 with the serrations 36 additionally resiliently resists movement of the slide longitudinally of the slot so that the slide is firmly held in adjusted position along the slot against accidental displacement, but is easily movable manually from place-to-place longitudinally of the slot and along the corresponding series I8 of indicating marks.

Each of the remaining slides 2|, 22, and 23 is substantially identical to the slide 2i), and is provided with a flat spring similar to the flat spring 29' secured to the slide 20, and the top wall of the body l0 is provided on its under surface with a row of serrations, similar to the serrations 36 extending longitudinally along each of the slots l5, I6 and The top wall is provided near each end thereof, and substantially at its mid-width location with a circular aperture, as indicated at 31 in Figure 2, and two game indicators 38 and 39 f are rotatably mounted respectively in these apertures.

An arcuately arranged series of small recesses, as indicated at 40 and 4|, is disposed adjacent each of the apertures and concentric therewith, and a series 42 of numbers from zero to five is provided on the upper surface of the top wall Il adjacent the series of uniformly spaced apart recesses 4i! to indicate the number of games scored. A similar series 43 of numbers is provided adjacent the series 4| of detents for use by the other` player for the same purpose.

As the two game indicators are substantially identical in construction and operation, a detailed description of only one is considered necessary for the purposes of the present disclosure, and the indicator 38 has been selected for this purpose.

This indicator 38 comprises a knob 44 which rests upon the upper surface of the top wall lI and has at one side a pointer formation 44 the surface of which, adjacent the top wall, is provided with a small detent selectively engageable in the detents of the series 4E) to hold the knob 33 with its pointer formation in opposition to any selected one of the numbers in the series 42. A stem 45 extends from the knob 44 through the aperture 31 and is journaled in this aperture. The stem has on its end opposite the knob 44 a head 46 of the same diameter as the stem, and adjacent the head a lateral'restriction providing a neck 4l'.

A flat spring 49 which is preferably of oval or elliptical shape and transversely bowed, has

5. therein a recess including a substantially circular portion 5!A generally symmetrical with the center of the spring and of a size to receive the stem 45 of the game indicator 33, and a narrow portion 5| which extends from the" portion 5i? to one end of the spring and is of a width to receive the neck 4l cf the stern.

The spring 49 is disposed with its concave side adjacent the under surface of the top wall and is assembled with the stern l5 in an obvious manner by sliding the neck of the stem through thenarrow portion 5| of the recess in the spring luntil the stem is disposed in the portion 5i) with the head 45 marginally underlying this portion of the spring. The spring then bears upon the head 4:5? andthe under surface of the top wall il to impose a frictional resistance to rotational movements of the indicator 38 relative to the top wall of the body I5 and to also resiliently engage the detent on the pointer formation of the knob 4f# with the recesses 40 to impose an additional re silient resistance to rotation of the indicator. The indicator 39, as explained above, is similar in construction and operation to the indicator 38, and includes a flat spring similar to the spring 45.

The top wall is reinforced by depending ribs 52 which extend longitudinally of the top wall between the slots I4, I5, le and |1, and the bot-` tom edges of these ribs are connected to the upper surface of the transverse rib or batteri i3 to further increase the rigidity of the structure. v The upper surface of the top wall may be suitably ornamented, if desired, or may carry on the space between the inner slots l5 and I5 advertising matter or information, as may be de sired. v'

'Ehe invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rat-her than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

A game score registering device comprising an elongated rectangular body of thin walled construction having a flat top wall provided with two pair of longitudinally extending slots and a mar ginal ange, score indicating marks on the upper surface of said top wall between the two slots of each pair, a slide movable along each of vsaid slots, each slide having a knob resting on the upper surface of said top wall and provided at one side with a pointer formation, a stem extending through the corresponding slot and elongated.

longitudinally of said slot to restrain said knob against rotation., said stem having a head at its end opposite said knob and a neck adjacent said head, and a at spring having a recess therein receiving the stem of said slide 'and bearing against said head and the under surface of said top Wall to impose frictional resistance-zto movement of said slide longitudinally ofv said corresponding groove, said top wall having on its under side rows of small serrations disposed. one row adjacent each of said slots, and eachof said flat springs having on one side a partly severed wing having at its free end a rounded detent engageable with the serrations of the corresponding row of serrations to resiliently resist movement of the associated slide longitudinally of the-corresponding slot.

WILFRED A.l CURTIS.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: f

UNITED sTATEs PATETS '749,993 France Il; May 15, 1933 

